Piping hot ideas served on a bed of hummus.

December 27, 2013

Speak Chinese? Israel’s Spy Agency is Looking for You!

Israel’s General Security Agency (Shabak) recently posted a new position on its website, Israeli daily Walla reported on Thursday. The top secret intelligence service is on the look out for a “field coordinator” who is also a “native Chinese speaker.” Among the job requirements are great interpersonal skills, advanced analytical abilities that include image analysis, and a willingness to work unconventional hours.

The location of this position is listed rather vaguely as being in the “center” of the country. The Shabak website goes on to notify any and all prospective applicants that orientation is scheduled to kick off in February 2014. Until then, a rigorous screening procedure will be applied in order to find the perfect man or woman for this newly available post, Walla relays.

When Israeli Daily Ma’ariv sought a quote from the Shabak regarding its new avenue of employment, the super secret agency declined to open up with a comment. However, Israeli security experts theorize that the goal behind this admittedly peripheral posting is nothing less than counter-espionage. The rise of the People’s Republic of China into a political and military superpower has created a need to track and trace any infiltration of Chinese spies into Israel who could conceivably gain access to sensitive information, Ma’ariv said.

In recent years, the growing amount of Chinese laborers working in Israel lends credence to the need for an intelligence gathering mechanism.

Fortunately for the Shabak, the explosive growth of Chinese-language studies in Israel all but ensures that the the Agency’s HR Director’s inbox will be flooded with CVs.